


Full Circle

by Grimweaver



Series: Memoirs of a Listener [5]
Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Complicated Relationships, F/M, Forbidden Love, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 17:11:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15369333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimweaver/pseuds/Grimweaver
Summary: After finishing her first contract, Malkhai decides to wander through the inner city the very same evening. She eventually enters the Arboretum, a place of great beauty and memory.But she isn't there alone. Someone else had arrived long before she did, patiently waiting for her to enter.





	Full Circle

 

                I returned to the Waterfront house to wash up and get some rest before going back to Cheydinhal the next day- but even though my body ached for sleep, my racing mind kept me wide awake. I gave up the fight fifteen minutes into the attempt, threw on some casual clothes and a dark cloak, and left for the inner city.

                 In reflective silence, I strolled aimlessly through the dim-lit streets, quiet and emptied of all but two guards for each gate. I stopped at the _Merchant's Inn_ , one of the very few places that were open during the late hours, hoping that a little food and drink might get rid of the noise, but that did not help much either.

                 It is when I entered the Arboretum, welcomed by a feeling of peace and belonging, that I knew I had at last arrived at a place where I could find my mind's rest.

                 It was the most beautiful place in the city, and I think it is an even greater sight to behold at night- the leaves and flower petals appear to glow when the soft orange light of lanterns shine through them, transforming the entire area into a very majestic and dreamlike world. In addition to its beauty, it was special for one more reason: it is the place of our first meeting.

                 _Perhaps all I need to do is write._ I thought. _I empty my head of it all and put it on paper. And being here should help me remember anything else I had forgotten._

                 I sat upon the stone structure in the eastern corner and began to write: ' _The memory of little Aaron is strong yet. I could see him carefully walking along the edge with his arms held out to balance himself..._ '

               

                I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes, venturing deeper into the reflection, breathing in the cold wind that swept through the area. The soothing fragrance it carried relieved some of the anxiety that had swelled up in my chest.

                 But then I caught the familiar scent of something that was neither the vegetation of the Arboretum nor the salty waters of Rumare. Almost as soon as I made the connection to its source, the surrounding air grew cold and the candle light from a nearby lamp post slowly dimmed down, allowing the patches of shadow to grow and engulf the entire area. An awareness of a familiar dark and fearsome presence stung my mind like a swarm of angry hornets.

                 _Lucien!_ My mind screamed.

 

                "You sent the Captain and his crew sailing into the Void. _Well done, Ms. Ale'Zandre_." He said from somewhere behind me. The low and sweet tone in his voice sent waves of tingling excitement throughout my body.

                What I knew about his humanity and past hadn't changed my perception of him. In many ways he seemed to be the same twenty-something Hunter from High Rock, yet my senses told me that a great change had transpired between then and now. He'd become something that commanded a tremendous amount respect and fear. So while I celebrated this reunion inside, I could only manage a sharp, quivering gasp in response.

 

                "And now you are here... just as I had anticipated." He added. I knew then that it was his plan to bring me out there with the pirate contract. He knew, before even I did, that I would be called to this place.

                 "I... I would've gone to Aaron's grave to pay my respects first." I answered uneasily, keeping my gaze fixed on the night sky as I gathered the courage to turn around. "In fact, I meant to shortly after we went our separate ways. But I couldn't find him anywhere."

                 "I took him back to Wayrest. It is _so very far away_ from Cyrodiil, but he deserves to be home... with the rest of our family."

                "Ah... of course. High Rock.”

                 I finally turned around and saw him, just barely making out his black figure against the stone wall over yonder, leaning against the dark side of a column.

                 “How did you know it was me? And... why didn't you just tell me flat out?"

                "I only _suspected_ , back in the ruins. But shortly after leaving I knew for sure that it was you. I can only say that it is thanks to the powers of the Void that I had reached the point of absolute certainty. As for why I didn't say anything right away, the Sanctuary would not be an ideal place to discuss my history- much of it remains unknown to the others, and I prefer to keep it that way."

                 I nodded. "I... I am so... _very sorry_."

                "Sorry? What would _you_ be sorry for?"

                "I didn't recognize you. I can imagine what you must think of me... seeming so forgetful. It's not that I'd forgotten... it's just..."

                He chuckled again. "My dear, it has been _sixteen years._ I imagine a lot has happened since then to keep your mind preoccupied, and..." He lightly stroked the lower half of his face. "...the landscape has changed a bit."

                I shook my head. "Not really. Time has been remarkably kind to you. Perhaps it is thanks to the elf blood on your Breton side?"

                "I suppose." He laughed. "Thank you."

 

                I didn't say that just to flatter him. It was the truth. Some people age like milk and bread, others like cheese and wine.

                Lucien is definitely a _very fine_ wine.

                I am sure that if anything had underwent a drastic change it was his voice. Deeper, darker, and with a punch of a rolling coldness under its smooth surface.

 

                "I was so sure that you were dead, after so many years passed without a single trace of your existence." I said to him. "I thought that, in order to find peace, I had to find a way to forget about _everything_. Details got hazy after a while, but I _never_ forgot about what happened... and I could _never forget about you_."

                 He nodded and heaved a regretful sigh. "And I was sure that you would be furious with me for never attempting to contact you throughout all that time. If either of us should be sorry for anything it is _me_."

                 "Well... to be honest, I was a _little_ angry at first. But... I'm sure that cutting off contact had kept you safe. And I can understand how difficult it must be for a Dark Brotherhood assassin, especially a Speaker, to get around to arranging a meeting like this."

                "It was. Even now, I have limited personal time."

                "Guess that means this little meeting has to be cut short... _again_."

                "If I go on as long as I want it to, I would be late reporting to the Black Hand, for I would not be able to leave before sunrise."

                 I shot a wide-eyed look at him. "Pardon??"

                “No…not…” He coughed and nervously tugged at the silver rhombus charm. "… I meant… getting caught up with all that happened since we parted ways, of course. There is... so much to tell..."

                "Right." I laughed.

                "Well... we might as well begin. Ladies first."

                 

                "Alright... well..." I cleared my throat before I began. "... after I escorted you to Bruma, I went straight back to camp. Much to my relief, everyone was still asleep. My story to them was that you had an accomplice that freed you from your binds after knocking me unconscious. They bought the story and I remained in the legion for a little over ten years, secretly weeding out corrupt legionnaires and shutting down their shady operations. But… one evening, while the unit I was assigned to made camp a few minutes north of Anvil, I caught a soldier raping one of the female suspects we had apprehended. I didn't even blink before I charged in and kicked him repeatedly in the groin. My boots had sharp metal points, so it should go without saying that I made it impossible for him to harm anyone in that way again."

                " _Hmmm...."_ I saw his grin turn into a wide smile of approval, as he began to stroke his chin again.

                "I could've just as easily killed him, but rapists are undeserving of such mercy. Unfortunately, the rest of the crew did not approve of my actions and attacked. I was forced to kill them all out of self-defense. I felt no remorse for what I did- they had all at one point committed atrocities that were just as vile.

A couple managed to escape with their lives, heading on horseback toward Anvil to inform the others of the ‘murders'. I knew then that my life as an 'innocent citizen' was over- I had to leave the Province of Cyrodiil. Sounds like a familiar story, doesn’t it?”

                "It does indeed.” 

                "I lived on the road for the next five years, never staying in one place for more than a few weeks. But as careful as I was, it was all a matter of time before every major settlement in the world knew I was wanted for high treason. They finally found me in Hammerfell. I tried to flee again, but I stood no chance against their Captain- his armor was given a special enchantment to ensure that it couldn't suffer any physical damage. When I slugged him in the chest, there wasn't even a scratch on his cuirass."               

                Lucien's smile vanished, and his eyes grew wide and intense.

                "The energy went back up through my arm and almost broke it." I continued. "He hit me so hard and fast that I didn't feel or see the strike- there was only instant blackness. The only thing I can remember after that is waking up in a jail cell, with an immense pain burning around the left side of my face and distorted vision in my left eye- the damage was permeant."

 

                " _By Sithis_... so _they_ _did that to you_." He said in an empathetic tone, looking at the scar running down the left side of my face.

                "Just the one. Adamus Phillida." 

A low, venomous growl rumbled in his throat. 

                "What?" I asked him.

                "I know that name all too well. _We all do_." His voice was still calm, but it took on a very dark and cold tone. "But... never you mind that now. It is a story for another time. Do go on, Ms. Ale'Zandre." 

                "Not much else to tell from there. That's how I ended up in the cell that was supposed to be empty, because it was a part of Uriel's _'secret'_ escape route... bla bla bla, Uriel died, the _Oblivion Crisis_ began, Martin Septim sacrificed himself, I became a combatant in the Imperial Arena, and then... well... some creepy but very handsome guy in black robes came up to me in the middle of the night with a proposition..."

 

                He coughed an airy, bashful chuckle with a blush. "So now, after all this time, we've at last come full circle."

                "Well... technically... to've come full circle, we'd have met again in Bruma and in the same way we had said goodbye- ehehe...heh."

 

                "Ah... yes... of course... I..." He said with another nervous laugh. "… suppose there really is no way to get around that discussion…”

                "Damn right." I said with a wink. My anxieties had melted away, allowing the real Malkhai Ale'Zandre inside to start talking, instead of the cautious Dark Brotherhood initiate, since he had allowed the walls of the ominous Speaker to come down. "But I'll let you go ahead and tell your story first."

 

                He nodded. "I stayed in Skyrim, as you had suggested. On the third evening, when I decided to stay in an abandoned shack, a shadowy figure confronted me when she felt certain that the location was going to remain secluded- a Speaker of the Dark Brotherhood. She not only invited me to become a member, she promised to reveal to me the identities of all who were somehow involved in the Skooma business.

                ‘Vengeance shouldn’t stop at just the guards that killed all of those people.’ She said to me. ‘They may have been directly responsible, but do you think it would’ve still happened if those snaky dealers hadn’t tempted them to purchase the Skooma? If the substance hadn’t been made available by the brewers and distributors? If the one woman at the root of it all hadn’t decided to set up and organize the whole operation in Cyrodiil? Join us, Mr. LaChance… and I’ll provide the means for you to finish the work that you started.’

                She then went on talking about family, hope, love, and promise. I was desperate at the thought of having it all again, and anxious to eliminate the rest of the wretched lot… I couldn’t resist.”

                 _I’d know a lot about the inability to resist a Speaker_. I was very close to saying aloud. I didn't hold back out of fear, I just didn't want to interrupt him.

                 “But I am ever so glad that I didn’t.” He continued. “I’ve found my true purpose in this world… I have the comforts that only a real, genuine family can provide- The Dread Father even blessed me with the chance to be something like a father to the Argonian twins and Antoinetta."

                There was a long pause. His figure sank back into the surrounding blackness, then emerged again just a few feet in front of me, stepping forward in a slow and regal manner.

                "But none of that would’ve been possible if you hadn’t made that choice back in the wilds of the Heartlands… when you brought me back to health and helped me escape."

 

                Lucien stopped just a few inches in front of me, keeping his eyes locked on mine. Echoes of my heart, beating harder and faster, went through the rest of my body and just about crippled my stance.

                 "I owe every success, and my very life, to you…" He continued. "...and I don’t know if I will ever be able to thank you enough for it... _but I am willing try_."

                 For a few seconds I could only respond with a smile and a nervous chuckle, feeling myself lose the battle again to the mixture of emotional and hormonal responses to the moment and everything that was beautiful about this man, this living poetry.               

                "I... I told you…” I managed, after taking a deep breath. “… that the only thing I wanted in return was your promise to stay alive and well. You kept that promise... you are alive and clearly doing very well for yourself, _Speaker of the Black Hand_. And..." I gathered up the courage to close the small distance that was left, joining him in the deep shadows of the blue rhododendron bush.  "...you said you'd pray for us to have a chance to pick up where we left off in the Arboretum. Well... here we are... in the Arboretum... so…"               

                An uncomfortable silence fell between us for a very long few seconds. He took in a deep breath while delicately taking my hands in his, then heaved a long and regrettable sigh.

                "Ms. Ale'Zandre..." He began. "...believe me when I say that I've eagerly awaited this moment throughout all the time that has passed since we went our separate ways, knowing somehow that there would be a chance..."

                "But...?"

                "You are an initiate and I am a Speaker. That makes things a bit more complicated than they would've been if I was still the meager 'Hunter from High Rock'." 

                "Ah... right... of course..." I sighed, buckling under the weight of disappointment. "Thanks for raising me up to the clouds before dropping me like a hot tater--"

                _"I said 'complicated',_ not 'impossible'." He assured, giving my hands a very firm squeeze. "The Listener does not outright forbid the relationship between a member of the Black Hand and a subordinate, but he demands that both individuals earn his approval of it. You must complete each contract in a timely and excellent manner, honor the Five Tenets, and go above and beyond when ever it is possible- it shouldn’t take long before you achieve the great honor and favor within the Dark Brotherhood… and earn the Listener’s approval. As for me, I must never allow my affections for you to influence my leadership- until you've reached the highest rank within the outer circle, I cannot even reveal that I have any at all. He has been very strict about this for good reason, as there have been some moments in the past wh--"

                “Yes-yes-yes… I get it.” I replied in a defeated tone.

                He brought my hands up and kissed them softly. “I know… I don’t like it any more than you do… but I have no doubt that it won’t take long before the Listener sees, as well as I do, the greatness in you. I promise that I will do everything I can on my end to earn that great reward… and that I will make it worth your hard work and patience."

 

                Just then, he brought his head up and scanned the area nervously.

                 "What is it?" I asked him.

                "I have risked much by simply by being here with you tonight. Dark Brotherhood spies patrol this area. They will be in the Arboretum soon, and if they see this meeting for what it truly is, there could be consequences."

                "Oh! Then you should go! I'm not worth the risk--"

                " _You are._ You risked your _life_ to _save mine_ , I owed you this... and so much more." Lucien paused to look around again. “I’m sorry… but I must now bid you a very fond and loving 'farewell'."

                "I hate that word. How about 'See you soon'?"

                Lucien smiled. "It sounds like a promise I know I won't always be able keep. But I can say that I look forward to seeing you soon. If all goes well this week, I should be able come back to the Sanctuary next Sundas."

                "I'll be there."

               

                “Until we meet again… may the Dread Father protect and guide you always." Were his final words. With reluctance he began to back away, never breaking eye contact and keeping my hands in his until they were out of his reach, and disappeared into the blackest of the shadows.

 

                _Well_. I thought, as I heaved a long sigh before making my way back to the house. _I can probably forget about trying to get any sleep tonight._

 

_~*~_


End file.
